Desert Storm
by Ari.L.S
Summary: A highly experienced Gerudo warrior named Niut accompanies Ganondorf and three other warriors on a mission to Hyrule. While they are on this journey, Ganondorf puts the three young warriors to the test to see who is worthy of becoming his second-in-command. Sensing the darkness that her king emanates, Niut tries to uncover Ganondorf's true ambitions.
1. Part One

Dear Readers,

I'm back! It's been a couple of years since I've submitted something, (college has literally taken over my life), but that doesn't mean I haven't stopped writing! While working on my big "Yu-Gi-Oh! Shadow Games" project, I got into playing "Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword". I beat the game last winter, and since then I've been on a HUGE Zelda fix. I started becoming really fascinated with the Gerudo race, and the series' main villain Ganondorf, and I couldn't help but write about him.

I decided to set the story one year before Ganondorf's takeover of Hyrule. At this point he is putting the final touches on his plans. He is also planning on assigning a second-in-command. When creating the main character, I fell into the trap of making her related to one of the main characters in the series, but in the end I think it was a good choice. It gives the main character more of a reason to want to learn more about Ganondorf, without turning it into a love story. In the end, this is really Niut's story.

This fic is also a lot shorter than most of the stuff I've written (especially my last fan-fic, which was sixteen chapters). One of the reasons this story is so short is because I wanted to finish it before returning to school in a couple weeks. I also felt like I didn't need as many lengthy scenes to get my points across. Even though I'm publishing this story as a completed work, I may find the urge to write another chapter somewhere in the middle to add more detail. At the moment though, I'm treating this as a completed story.

Thank you to everyone who has been reading my stories. If you like Zelda, I hope you find this story to your liking. If you don't like Zelda or haven't really thought about it, I humbly implore you to give my story a try, and maybe even check out some games on your own!

As always, happy reading!

Ari L.S.

* * *

Desert Storm  
Part One: The Demon Child

It was early morning. Even in those early hours, the heat of the sun stirred the air, making it uncomfortably hot. A woman on horseback removed her cloak, allowing the sun's sweltering rays to touch her dark desert skin. The wind carried specks of sand from the desert into the valley. This light pelting was merely an annoyance that she had grown used to, even when the sand caked her after an intense fight covered her body in sweat.

She had been travelling for three days. Normally spending so long on horseback would make one's haunches ache or one's seat become bruised. However, this woman practically lived on her horse's back. Her muscles were immune to pain from physical activity. Her body was in its peak physical condition. It was necessary for her survival.

The shadows of the Gerudo Valley were expelled as the sun climbed to its place in the sky. Only the deepest crevices in the rocky walls possessed some sort of darkness. After crossing the bridge over the river, the woman slapped her horse's hind and broke into a run down the path. In a matter of moments her destination came into sight. It was a large and overbearing structure. Cleverly colored to blend in with the valley's rock wall, it was a structure that one could easily see if he looked close enough or knew what he was looking for.

Women with red hair, hair that matched the rider's in shade, length, and texture, paced the front of this structure. In their hands they held newly sharpened glaives and their yellow eyes keenly scanned the area for intruders. The woman jumped off of her horse and led the mare towards the entrance.

"Yuma's back!" a voice called out. The multiple guards turned their eyes to the woman, who smiled upon being recognized and welcomed by her fellow warriors.

"How was your journey, Yuma?" one of them asked as she passed.

"I was successful in what I had to do," Yuma replied, bowing her head humbly.

"Let me put your horse away," said another, who placed her hand gently on Yuma's shoulder. "I'm sure you want to see Niut."

"Yes, that would be wonderful. Where is my daughter this morning?"

"She's in the sparring ring with Melaka, as usual," replied the warrior with a small chuckle. "That girl's getting better and better each day."

"I believe it," Yuma said with a smile. She left her fellow warrior's side and jogged into the fortress. While it appeared to be a dark labyrinth to strangers, the hive was her home and she could navigate it with her eyes closed. She reached a door that led to a huge room dotted with torches on the walls. A large sand ring took up most of this room. Two figures, a grown woman and a young girl, were sparring in this circle. The woman was clearly holding back to avoid hurting the girl, but the girl, holding a glaive with a shorter staff to accommodate her size, was putting all of her energy into the battle. Cool and collected, the woman was giving instructions while she defended herself from the girl's slashes.

"Watch your balance, your back foot is at an odd angle, if I wanted to I could twist your body and break your leg, there you go, remember your balance, hah! Sneaky thing, remember you won't have your small size forever, stay grounded! Your strength comes from your core, not the muscles in your arms!"

Sweat rolled down the side of the girl's head. Her breathing was becoming more and more labored as the fight went on, but her unrelenting determination overcame her body's loss of stamina. There was fire in her yellow eyes. She would not rest until her opponent was lying at her feet. With a loud cry, she put all of her might into a final strike, aiming at the wooden staff right below the blade of her opponent's glaive. Melaka's arm was pushed back from the sheer force of the girl's attack, but it did not send the weapon flying like the girl intended to do. A wry smile spread over Melaka's lips.

"Very good," she hummed. "We will continue our training later. I believe there's someone who wants to see you."

The girl's eyes widened and she turned towards the door. Her tired, wilting body was filled with energy again, which made her eyes sparkle with happiness and her lips open into a wide smile.

"Mother!" she cried, tossing her weapon into the sand and running towards Yuma. In turn, Yuma spread her arms wide and accepted the force of her daughter's embrace. She held her daughter close, placing kisses on the top of her head and squeezing her body tightly.

"Oh how I've missed you, Niut," Yuma murmured into her daughter's hair. "You've grown so much in the months I was gone."

"Melaka says I'm getting better and better at fighting," Niut replied. "And she just started teaching me my Hylian letters. We have to read a story every night, Mother!"

"And we will, little one," Yuma hummed as she allowed herself to release Niut from her grasp. She raised her eyes towards Melaka, who smiled knowingly.

"Your mission was a success, I assume?" asked the warrior. Yuma closed her eyes lightly and nodded. She then glanced down at Niut.

"Niut, you're going to be a big sister," she said with a tender smile. "I'm pregnant." Niut's smile became even bigger.

"Really? Oh Mother I've always wanted to be a big sister!" she exclaimed as she jumped up and down in her place. This caused Melaka and Yuma to laugh together.

"The bond between sisters is one of the strongest ones we experience in life," Melaka said, placing a hand on Niut's small shoulder. "Your little sister will look up to you, she'll follow your every footstep when she starts to walk, she'll be so eager to show you every new fighting move she learns, and most of all she will seek your praise and love."

"As an older sister," Yuma added, glancing towards Melaka, "you will watch over your little sister, protecting her from the sandy winds and any fears she might have. You'll give her pointers for her fighting technique, ride horses with her, and read with her at night when you're supposed to be asleep. You'll care for her always, and love her with all of your heart. I'm sure that you two will be the best of friends."

The nine months passed quickly before Niut's eyes. She watched her mother's stomach expand to a size she had never seen before. Her mother looked rather silly with her bulbous stomach sticking out shamelessly and uncovered. To protect the stretching skin from the hot and sandy winds, Niut fashioned a gossamer veil that could be attached to her mother's tops. Yuma wore the accessory to be polite, but she much preferred to proudly bare her pregnant stomach.

In the earlier months, Yuma would leave her home and do what she could to benefit the others in the fortress. While she couldn't fight or ride horses, she guarded the lower threat prisoners, groomed the horses, and observed training sessions, giving pointers to new and veteran warriors. But as the child inside of her grew, Yuma found that her own strength was fading. She began to feel ill and tired, and eventually she was confined to bed. Her once strong body was wilting before everyone's eyes. Her eyes appeared sunken in their eye sockets, and those yellow eyes themselves seemed to have the light sucked out of them.

Niut did what she could to make her mother's pregnancy easier. When her mother was confined to the bed, Niut performed every chore in addition to learning her letters and training. She never grew tired, even when the moon rose high in the sky and the valley became cold and unwelcoming. She would drape blankets over her mother's trembling body and place rags on her forehead when it was hot and dripping with sweat. She would run to the Twinrova, the Gerudo sorceresses, and ask them for potions that would build up her mother's strength.

In the middle of a clear, starry night, the desert wind suddenly began to pick up. It stirred sand and the freezing night air, tossing it all through the Haunted Wasteland and the Gerudo Valley. This icy wind even penetrated the strong doors of the fortress. On that night, Yuma felt the unmistakable spasms in her abdomen. The baby was coming.

Niut called for Melaka and then ran to the home of the Twinrova. As the oldest women in the compound, they typically oversaw every birth. They gathered their potions, tightly pulled on their cloaks, and stepped into the cold. They could hear Yuma's moans of pain echoing throughout the grim halls of the fortress.

Melaka had propped Yuma up using every pillow Yuma and Niut owned. Every candle was lit, but the room was still quite dim. The shadows on her mother's face reminded Niut of a skeleton.

"Where's the hot water?" Koume, one of the Twinrova, spat as the waddled to the bed and squatted between Yuma's legs.

"It should be done heating," Melaka responded, wincing as Yuma gripped her hand at the onslaught of another contraction.

"I'll get it," Niut offered. She grabbed a bowl from their small kitchen and poured the water from the pot into it.

"We need towels!" Kotake, the other sister, screeched. She nudged her sister slightly, trying to make room for herself.

"You're taking up too much room, Kotake!" Koume snapped.

"Am not! It's you and your fat rump that are taking up all the room, Koume!" Kotake squealed.

"Here's the water and the towels," Niut interrupted. She placed the items near the bickering sisters and returned to her mother's side.

"Niut," Yuma whispered.

"Yes, Mother?"

"Niut I don't…I might not…" she let out a wail of pain from another contraction.

"Yuma, you can do it, just hang in there," Melaka said, trying to be encouraging. However, with one glance Niut could see the despair and helplessness in her aunt's eyes.

"Mother…"

"The baby! The baby's coming!" one of the sisters exclaimed. Yuma moaned again, trying her best to push. Niut interlaced her fingers with her mother's, hoping that her strength would enter her mother.

"Push Yuma, come on you can do it!" Melaka cried, her voice breaking.

"Come on Mother, just a few more pushes," Niut tried, grasping her mother's hand as tightly as she could.

"The head!" one of the sisters screeched.

"Niut…"

"One more push, just one more and your daughter will be here," Melaka whispered.

"I can't…he'll kill me…" One more push, and suddenly she went limp. The sound of the howling wind faded away. All Niut heard were the cries of a baby.

"A boy," Koume gasped.

"Yuma, you did it," Melaka whispered, placing her hand on her sunken cheek. "Yuma, your child is born."

"It's a boy!" Kotake exclaimed.

"But…she's supposed to be my sister," Niut protested. For a moment she turned away from her mother, trying to catch a glimpse of the baby. The Twinrova swaddled the baby, keeping him hidden from their sight. Only his cries proved that there was indeed a child tangled up in their arms.

"Niut…Niut!" Melaka called. Niut turned around. Her mother's eyes were softly closed, her head nodding to one side of the pillow. Her lips were parted ever so slightly and trembled under the weight of the words she wanted to say. Niut's eyes widened as she scrambled to her mother's side. Her body began to tremble as fear took over her.

"Mother…Mother I'm here!" she said, grasping Yuma's cold, limp hand.

"…I should have…he'll kill…I should have known…"

"Mother, no!" the young girl wailed, too distraught to listen to her dying mother's prophetic words.

"I love…you…Niut."

"I love you too, Mother."

When Niut could finally look away from her mother's lifeless body, she discovered that the Twinrova had slipped away with the baby boy.


	2. Part Two, Chapter One

Part Two: The Demon King

Chapter One: The Mission to Hyrule

There were two women in the sparring ring that morning. One was a sprightly young warrior who didn't look a day over sixteen. She had just finished training school, and she never backed down from a sparring challenge. It gave her the chance to hone her skills, to test where her shortcomings were and how she could improve them. On nimble feet, she sprung into the air and somersaulted over her opponent's arm, delivering a blow to the back.

The opponent, despite being about twenty years older than her adversary, jumped away quickly, turning her body so she was facing the younger warrior full on. She attacked with a great deal of energy, but over years of training she mastered the art of balancing just how much of this boundless power she packed into a punch. Eyes keenly watching the opponent, she took the defense and dodged every blow the younger warrior had to offer.

Both warriors were nearing the point of exhaustion. For about two hours they had trained together, the older warrior viewing the younger warrior's attack and defense forms and giving pointers. Now to end their session, they fought each other using these attack and defense combinations. It almost looked like a dance, the way they tumbled and turned over and around each other.

As the younger warrior ran forward in an attempt to slash her opponent using her blunt sparring weapon, the older warrior ducked and rammed her curled up shoulders into the younger warrior's side. The younger warrior flailed, caught off guard by the move, and her hand unwittingly released her weapon. The older warrior rolled to the ground and grabbed it, pointing the blunt spear towards her opponent's chest. The younger warrior fell to her knees, accepting the defeat.

"Your core wasn't engaged, Nabooru," said the older warrior. "If you keep the center of your balance stable, your body won't be caught off guard if it's suddenly hit like that. Otherwise, excellent work." She held out her hand to help Nabooru to her feet, wiping sweat from her forehead with her other forearm.

"Thank you for the advice, Niut," Nabooru replied, bowing her head in respect. From the other side of the room, claps echoed in the space. The women turned towards the stands and saw that there was a male figure dressed in black armor watching them. There was no doubt in their minds who this man was—the King of the Gerudo himself, Ganondorf. They fell to their knees, bowing respectfully to him. Nabooru glanced towards Niut, her eyes wide with shock, as the Gerudo king approached them. It wasn't very often that he left his chambers in the fortress.

"Very impressive, both of you," he said, his voice a low grumble. The air in the room seemed as though it had become stiflingly heavy. Niut's chest constricted as she tried to take in a breath.

"Thank you, my lord," Nabooru responded humbly.

"I am setting out on a mission to Hyrule with a small party. Have your horses prepared by sun-high," he commanded.

"Yes, my lord," said Nabooru. As quickly as he entered their sight, Ganondorf turned and walked to the exit. Nabooru was the first to rise to her feet, but it took Niut a few moments to collect herself. By the time she was standing upright, she saw only a flash of red from his cape stepping through the doorway.

"Nabooru, please put our sparring weapons away. I have a few duties to attend to before we leave," Niut said. She did not wait for a response from Nabooru—instead she jogged to the door, swinging it open and staring down the corridor. Ganondorf was only a little further down the hall. It was hard to believe that so much time had passed by since that fateful night, a long twenty-nine years. She had heard her brother's first cries, and now he was a full-fledged warrior, tall and overbearing. The creature she wanted to hate had turned into the man she both respected and feared.

"My lord!" she called out. As he turned to face her again, she jogged towards him and fell to one knee. She placed both hands on her knee, hoping she could hide how much they were trembling.

"Yes, Niut, what is it?" he asked, almost growling. Not wanting to test his patience, Niut pushed aside her nerves and opened her mouth to speak.

"My lord, I was simply wondering…is my lord sure he wants an older warrior on this mission? I-I am not as strong or fast as some of the other _younger _warriors are. I simply do not see how I would be useful to my lord's mission."

"I have no doubt in your skills as a warrior. From what I could see, you were more than capable when battling one who is twenty years your junior. But my real reason for bringing you on this mission is for your expertise with the younger warriors. I plan to return here with a second-in-command chosen, and because you have trained the contesting warriors at some point, you know their capabilities better than I do." He spoke in a low monotone, a voice that was almost a gravely mumble but still possessed much power and substance. He was very matter-of-fact with his words, speaking tersely so not to waste time.

"Yes, my lord. Thank you, my lord," Niut replied humbly. He turned away and continued towards wherever he was going. The shadows of the hallway enveloped his form. Taking in a deep breath, Niut went to her home and packed her satchel with supplies. Ganondorf never said how long the mission was supposed to be, so she packed more food than she normally would have for a mission just in case.

Before going to the stable to saddle her horse, Niut went to the archery range, where she found the youngest warriors-in-training practicing their shooting skills. She approached the trainer, a fellow senior warrior, and asked if she could speak to her daughter.

"Miry! Take a break for a moment, your mother is here," the warrior called. One of the girls, who was slightly shorter than the rest, lowered her arms from their shooting stance and relaxed her grip on her bow and arrow. She reached behind her and slid the arrow into its quiver before jogging to the perimeter of the ring.

"What is it, Mother?" the girl asked.

"The great Ganondorf has invited me to go on a mission that I cannot decline. I don't know when we'll return, but I expect you to be on your best behavior for your aunties. Make sure you study your letters before you go to sleep."

"I will, Mother," the girl replied_. _ The two stared at each other for a moment, trying awkwardly to find a way to say goodbye. Miry was smaller than all of the other girls her age, and she was weaker. Niut initially blamed her daughter's feebleness on her father—he was quite drunk when they conceived her, so perhaps his sluggish seed was the culprit. But behind closed doors and covered ears, the other warriors devised alternate reasons—_Niut focuses too much on training warriors; Niut only cares about Miry's fighting skills; Niut never embraces her daughter._

"Goodbye," Niut eventually settled into.

"Have a safe journey," Miry replied before returning to her target.

Niut found another young warrior named Arjuna in the stables, also preparing her horse for a long journey. The older warrior nodded in greeting, to which Arjuna replied with a deep bow of the head. They worked silently a few stalls from each other, saddling and bridling their mounts with silence, precision, and deep concentration. Niut's gaze bore deeply into the dark eyes of her mare, Dusty, so aptly named because of the dark gray color of her coat. After tightly securing her saddle to the mare's back, Niut fed her some oats and stroked her nose, a reward for being still. The Gerudo tried to exercise a way of positive reinforcement to keep their horses from misbehaving, but there was always a whip nearby in case severe punishment needed to be dealt.

At sun-high, Niut waited for the rest of the party to arrive at the gate. Nabooru had reached the area first, and shortly after Niut arrived four other warriors (including Arjuna) had joined the group. Niut did not know how many other warriors were coming along, but they did not matter as much as their king did. He was easy to spot as his horse walked, taking large and heavy steps towards the gate. The black horse was unmistakably the horse of Ganondorf—like his master, the stallion walked with a powerful stride and an air of serene confidence. The domineering gaze of both horse and rider was truly a sight to behold. The warriors grasped their weapons in their left hands, crossed their right hands over their chests, and bowed on one knee as the King of Thieves approached.

"Rise," he commanded. "The entire party is here. We will set out on our journey, then. Hya!" The stallion reared slightly before breaking into a run. The six warriors quickly jumped onto their mounts and followed, leaving behind a cloud of sand. Not far behind her Niut could hear cheers rising from the Gerudo they left behind.

Arjuna and Rinna, the oldest warrior in the group aside from Niut, rode on either side of Ganondorf, ready to take an arrow in case an enemy tried to attack their King. The remaining four trailed in the back, creating a semi-circle as wide as the beaten path allowed them to. The path through the Gerudo Valley was rather straight, allowing the party to ride at a very rapid speed.

When they reached the bridge, Ganondorf did not slow his horse to a trot to traverse the bridge. Instead, he increased his mount's speed and commanded it to jump over the large gap. The dark steed stretched its long legs, pushing itself up and over the gap with great power. It landed quite far from the opposite ledge, showing its incredible jumping ability. The warriors followed suit, landing a comfortable distance away from the opposite ledge, but none reached as far as Ganondorf's horse did. As Nabooru's horse's feet touched the ground, Ganondorf continued riding through the border.

The transition from Gerudo Valley to the green Hyrule Field was abrupt. The blue in the sky was serene and welcoming, while the grass below their steeds' feet was green and lush. The wind's character was different—cooling and refreshing, full of life and beauty. As she breathed the crisp, clean air through her nostrils, Niut was reminded of the one time she ever left the Gerudo Valley, when she went into Hyrule Castle Town to find a man who would father her child.

The party hadn't travelled far when they came across a caravan bursting with goods. A lone, feeble-looking merchant was the only inhabitant of this caravan. He had stopped off the path, presumably to sit down and have lunch before continuing. The Gerudo hid themselves in the trees outlining the field.

"Look at that old merchant, if you ask me it's awfully greedy of him to keep all those goods to himself," Aveil remarked with a chuckle. From the sheaths on her sides, she drew her dual scimitar blades.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Rinna questioned, using one of her own blades to calm Aveil's. "We just started our journey—we don't want to be lugging all this stuff with us while we're travelling all the way to Castle Town."

"We should steal this guy's loot, then we'll send one or two of us back to the fortress with the goods," Nabooru interjected. As she said this, she reached into the pack on her horse's saddle and pulled out a length of rope.

"That sounds like a great plan, Nabooru!" Sati chirped, almost too loud.

"Hush!" Nabooru snapped. "All right, follow my lead. That is," she turned towards Ganondorf, bowing her head almost sheepishly, "only if my lord permits it." Ganondorf simply nodded, and Nabooru shifted her focus back to the caravan. "All right, draw your weapons and follow my lead," she whispered as she lifted her leg over the bush in front of her. Quickly and silently, she rushed to the backside of the caravan like she was running on the wind. She ducked under the caravan to make sure the merchant was not suspicious that he had company. Then she sneaked around on the right hand side, unraveling the rope as she tiptoed.

Niut was about to join the group, but she felt a large hand on her shoulder holding her back. She glanced to her side and looked up at Ganondorf, whose gaze was fixed straight forward on the band of thieves.

"Stay here and observe them," he said. Even a simple request seemed like a demand.

"Yes, my lord," Niut responded. It took a moment before Ganondorf released her shoulder from his grasp.

They heard a cry coming from the merchant. Nabooru had jumped on him and the two rolled a little to the side, just past the caravan and within Ganondorf and Niut's line of sight. Nabooru had the man pinned down and was digging her knees into his back as she started the knot at his neck and worked her way down his body. While Nabooru was busy tying the merchant up, the other thieves broke into the caravan and ran back into the forest with the bags of goods.

"What about the horse?" Aveil asked. A wry smile on her lips, Nabooru glanced over her shoulder towards her fellow warrior.

"Cut her loose, but bring her over here," she responded. Aveil did as she was told, using the blade of her glaive to cut the ropes tying the horse to the cart. She grasped the bridle and brought the horse to Nabooru and the squirming, squealing merchant. Nabooru bent her knees and held the merchant in her arms, slowly lifting him from the ground and onto the horse. With a twisted laugh, she slapped the horse's rump, sending it running into the field with the squealing merchant flailing about.

"That was great!" Rinna exclaimed, her voice rising into a laugh.

"Yeah, I never would've thought to send the guy riding away on his horse!" Sati added as she tossed one last bag out of the caravan.

"Excellent work," Niut said as she led their horses out from behind the bushes. "Nabooru, your quick and clever thinking made this a success. As for you, Aveil, and you too, Rinna, you both worked together very well. Wonderful work, all of you."

"Arjuna, Sati, you two will return to the fortress with the goods. The rest of us will continue on the mission," Ganondorf commanded, already mounted once again on his horse. The thieves tied the bags of loot onto Arjuna and Sati's horses, and then they set out in the opposite direction, back home. The remaining members of the group mounted their steeds and followed Ganondorf through the field.

* * *

At moonrise on their second night of travel, the group stopped travelling and set up a camp for the night. Rinna, Aveil, and Nabooru gathered firewood, and then Niut started the fire and prepared their simple meal. After their immediate hunger was satisfied, the younger three warriors set up two tents—one for the women and one for Ganondorf. Niut tied the horses to the tent stakes before subduing the fire.

In the middle of the night, Nabooru, who was keeping watch, shook the tents trying to wake everyone up.

"There are stalchildren coming towards us!" she exclaimed. This was enough to jolt the warriors out of their sleep and grab their weapons in a flash. Rinna tore the flap of the tent open and jumped to Nabooru's side. In the distance, the small, glowing, skeletal figures were shuffling towards the camp, their weapons raised high. The warriors knew that those little enemies would be no problem to wipe out, but the numbers would simply keep increasing with each monster they destroyed.

"My lord, there are stalchildren coming to the camp," Nabooru said to the flap of the other tent.

"I am aware of that," he responded, but instead of from his tent, the voice came from behind the fire pit. He stepped forward, his boots crushing the burned wood, and placed himself at the head of the small band of warriors. The approaching stalchildren halted for a moment, their soulless eyes staring up at the dark man.

"Hya!" Nabooru cried as she leapt out from behind Ganondorf and plunged her weapon into the ribcage of one of the creatures. It let out an ear piercing shriek and burst into green flames. The other warriors followed suit, rushing further into the fields and slaying the first creature they set their eyes on. However, with each stalchild that was killed, another one or two would appear on the horizon and quickly make its way towards the camp.

"They are coming too quickly!" Niut called to the other warriors. "The more we kill, the more will come after us!"

"We can't stop now!" Nabooru argued.

"Return to the camp at once," Ganondorf's voice called. Even though they were not exactly within a close proximity to the camp, his voice seemed as loud as if he were speaking right in their ears. The warriors turned away from their enemies, even if they hadn't the chance to kill them yet, and dashed back to the tents. The fire had been completely put out, so it was difficult to see exactly where the camp was. Rinna, who was the first to reach the camp, reached into the tent and lit a lantern.

"We will quickly pack up our camp and move it to the path. As long as we remain there, the stalchildren will not attack us," Ganondorf said as he went to untie his horse from its stake. The horses did not stir even though there were strange creatures approaching, since for some reason the stalchildren did not dare to step too close to the camp. As quickly as they could, the three warriors uprooted the stakes in the tents, disassembled them, and packed them into their large bags. They attached the supply bags to their horses and jumped into the saddles. Ganondorf led the way, breaking his horse into a jog. It was the night of a new moon, so the moon could not offer its guiding light to the group. Every so often they would spot more stalchildren materializing and chasing after them, but they never reached a proximity from which they could attack the group. After traveling for about ten minutes, they reached the packed earth that formed a path from Castle Town.

"Set up camp here," said the Gerudo King as he dismounted. The warriors slipped off of their saddles and unpacked their supplies once more. By then their eyes had adjusted to the darkness. Working quickly so they could return to sleep for a few more hours, the warriors set up the tents and tied the horses to the stakes. On the safety of the path, they could finally sleep without worry of have unexpected visitors.

"That sounds like something you tell a kid so they don't wander off at night," Nabooru grumbled as they rolled out their sleeping mats.

"What are you talking about?" asked Aveil through a wide yawn.

"You know, 'stay on the path or else the stalchildren will come for you'. It's ridiculous!"

"Just go to sleep," Rinna groaned.


	3. Part Two, Chapter Two

Chapter Two: A Peace Offering

Morning came a few hours later. Niut was the first to rise, and despite being older she seemed to have the more energy than her sleepy companions did. Like they did just a few hours before, they rolled up their sleeping mats and dismantled the tents. Niut took out some flatbread from her satchel, munching on that as she tied her supplies to Dusty's saddle. The mare bent down and pulled some grass from the earth. It was a rare, sweet treat to have fresh grass.

The pack of thieves rode throughout the day with little trouble or excitement. By day they could travel the fields without much worry of bumping into any malevolent creatures. As she felt the cool breeze passing over her skin, Niut couldn't help but take in a deep breath of that crisp air, allowing it to cleanse her lungs. The sky was a beautiful and endless blue sea. Even the sun was friendlier in this land.

As night descended upon the land of Hyrule once again, the party stopped to camp on the path. Near this path was the first settlement they had seen on their journey. It was a rather small ranch sitting in the middle of a verdant pasture. A farmhouse and barn were enclosed within the protective arms of a wooden fence. In the middle of the pasture was an empty corral. A single light, a torch over the front door of the farmhouse, was the only source of light.

"You three," Ganondorf addressed the young thieves, "go into the barn and take one unbranded horse each. The best horse of the three will be offered to the King of Hyrule as a peace offering."

"Yes, my lord," the three replied in unison. A mischievous grin flashed on Nabooru's lips, her eyes glancing to her side toward Aveil, who smiled back. The three dismounted their steeds and dashed towards the gate. Niut knew this time to stay back and observe. She also knew that a stealth mission like this would be much more complicated than robbing a simple merchant blind. There was very little light (an advantage and a disadvantage), a locked gate that needed to be traversed, a locked barn, and live cargo.

Nabooru seemed to take on the role of leader once again, for she was the first of the three that approached the gate and tried to make sense of it. It was hard for Niut to see exactly what was going on since she and Ganondorf were watching the exploit from a distance. After a few moments, Nabooru squatted down and sprung into a high jump, grabbing a part of the gate that was towards the top. She hung there for a moment before swinging her body up and over the gate. Aveil and Rinna quickly followed suit and all three were over the gate, out of sight.

There was nothing else the observers could do, which made Niut feel almost helpless. The pit of her stomach stung. She felt as though she should have gone with the trio. They were young and did not have as much experience as she did. At the same time, though, this was their challenge that they had to face on their own. Her mind suddenly wandered towards her daughter. Eventually, she too would have to face her own challenges. The thought made shivers crawl down Niut's spine.

"Nabooru is proving herself quite well," Ganondorf said, jarring the eerie stillness of the night. Out of the corner of her eye she stole a glance at him, but she did not dare to try and look him in the eye.

"Yes," Niut responded. "The others seem like they look up to her. They trust the way she thinks and the decisions she makes. Those are certainly desirable qualities in a leader." In her peripheral vision she saw that he nodded in agreement. She closed her lips tightly for a moment, taking in a deep breath through her nose. "However," she continued, "as clever as her plans are, she is very brash. She needs to take the time to think her ideas through."

"Patience is something that can be learned, but raw talent is something one is born with," Ganondorf remarked.

"_I don't believe that. Some people are inherently patient, while others are not. There is only so much self-control one can learn to maintain."_

"I suppose…it is something we all learn as we grow and mature," Niut conceded. She remembered how she was as a young girl, eager to learn and to please her instructors. She trained hard and fought hard, putting all of her might into every little move. She threw her energy around like it was a ball instead of dealing it out carefully in calculated moves. With disciplined training, she learned how to control herself.

"Perhaps there is a point when one exerts too much self-control," he posed. "Nabooru is young and unbridled, but I find that is her greatest strength. When she fights, it is like she is riding on a current of air. She is light and agile, yet powerful in her attacks. She does not think too much, she doesn't calculate, she uses her instincts and does not put her full weight into anything. That is what allows her to bounce back, to improvise. When I watched you in the ring that day, Niut, I saw a warrior with too much self-control, too much rigidity. You were holding back. And now I can see that it is simply in your nature to hold back, to keep things locked away."

"My life has not been an easy one, my lord. Sometimes there are memories of events in one's life that one needs to suppress, memories that cause great turmoil in the heart."

"What is the meaning of this?" they heard a male voice screech. A moment later, the gate's door burst open and the three thieves came out riding three stolen horses. Niut also saw another figure on horseback pursuing them. She leapt off her steed and tied the reigns of the other thieves' horses together, creating a link that attached all four horses to each other. She snapped Dusty's reigns and she broke into a run. The other three followed her lead and worked up to the same speed.

"Get back here you miserable thieves!" the man chasing them shrieked.

Niut glanced over her shoulder and saw that the trio was close behind her, behind them was Ganondorf, and behind him was their adversary. His horse was unbelievably fast, even faster than Ganondorf's. With each bound the horses took, the man was getting closer and closer, a pitchfork raised above his head and ready to attack their king. Niut's eyes widened.

"My lord!" she gasped. She pulled hard on her mount's reigns and tried to turn her pack around, but the horses attached to her own were frightened and confused. They refused to turn around, bucking up on their hind legs and shaking their heads. Niut gritted and pulled with all of her might until the reigns dug so deeply in her skin that her hands felt raw. As Nabooru sped past her, she glanced over her shoulder and her eyes widened with the realization of what was happening.

"Our king is in danger!" she called ahead to the other two.

Before the faster warriors could turn around and ride into a defense formation, the King of Thieves became illuminated by a bright yellow light. Gasping, Niut shielded her eyes with her forearm. There was a high scream accompanied by the distressed whinnies of a horse.

"Move out!" she heard Ganondorf bellow. Lifting her arm, she glimpsed at the unconscious farm hand lying sprawled out on the ground. His steed paced around him nervously. Niut gathered her reigns and snapped Dusty into a gallop, pulling the three other horses with her.

The troupe stopped along the path to Castle Town. Still panting, the three warriors dismounted their stolen horses and held the reigns tightly against their bucking heads. Aveil's horse, a tawny stallion with a dark brown mane, gave her a great deal of trouble, even going so far as to whinny loudly and attempt to stand on its hind legs. The warrior hissed loudly in his ear, trying to intimidate him.

Niut dropped off of her horse and fed all four of them some treats from her pack. She could not take her eyes off of Ganondorf as his tall black mount slowly paced into the group. The King of Thieves remained on the horse for a few lingering moments, his presence overbearing and dark. She bowed her head, fell to one knee, and crossed her fist over her heart. The three younger warriors quickly followed suit, ignoring their unruly stolen goods for a moment.

He dismounted and commanded the troupe to set up camp, deciding that they had just enough hours of night to get some sleep. They obeyed without a word. While the younger warriors set up the tents, Niut hammered a couple stakes to the ground, tying Ganondorf's stallion to one of the stakes and the rest of the horses to the other one. Even the horses were too exhausted to bicker with each other for space.

When Niut finally had the chance to lie down on her sleeping mat, she realized how much her heart was pounding. As a Gerudo warrior, she did not spook so easily, and it was usually she who would strike fear into her opponents' hearts. However, this heist had frightened her more than she realized. She knew that the Gerudo King was more than capable of fending for himself, but that did not mean she couldn't worry.

She slept fitfully in those few hours until dawn, visions of disorder, chaos, and despair in her head. What would they do if the king, her brother, had perished?

The next morning, she was the first to rise, desperate to escape the turmoil in her imagination. She stirred the fire and heated up some water for morning tea. From a nearby tree she grabbed an armful of fruit for breakfast. They were nearing Castle Town, so there was no need to hunt for game. She imagined that they would buy meat for the journey home, and perhaps enjoy the evening at a local tavern. Maybe the King of Hyrule himself would invite them into his home for the night. Niut mused over the idea of sleeping in a bed again, for her back ached from the sleeping pallet.

Ganondorf was the second to rise from his tent, decked in his elaborate Gerudo armor. It made Niut wonder briefly if he slept in it to make the mornings a little easier. These strange thoughts left her immediately when he looked her way with his cold gaze. She knelt to the ground and placed her fist over her heart.

"Good morning, my lord," she said, her head bowed. He replied with a sound that resembled a grunt before pacing towards the stakes where the horses were being kept. Now that they weren't tired, the seven horses sharing the one stake were beginning to butt each other and swish their tails. The lone black stallion glared at the group and snorted.

Slowly and quietly she rose so she wouldn't disturb his thoughts. The Thief King stared at the group of horses that was tied to the single stake. They were more active and were bickering for grass. However, when he approached the group, every horse stopped moving and stared at him, eyes wide and dark. Ganondorf paced to the side to get a better look at the three steeds the warriors had stolen the night before.

Aveil was the most ambitious on this mission. Her horse was a tawny stallion with a black mane and hooves. He pulled the most at his reigns and would have bucked more if it weren't for the crowded conditions. Niut was impressed by Aveil's bravery and effort, but a misbehaving stallion would not serve the King of Hyrule well.

While Aveil took great risks this time, Rinna played it safe. The horse she took was a pretty white mare. It was docile, sweet, and obedient, but Niut knew with one look that the mare would never be of use in the King's army, let alone his stable.

In Niut's eyes, the clear winner was Nabooru's choice. She picked up a brown gelding with a deep red mane. While not nearly as masculine when compared to the stallion, the gelding was still quite large and had built up some muscle, most likely from pulling heavy carts. It carried itself with elegance and strength like a hero. She watched as the steed bent low and pulled some blades of grass from the earth. It had learned how to control its energy, though Niut knew that it had the capacity to run far and fast if it wanted to. There was no other choice but the gelding—serene and mild like a mare, energetic and strong like a stallion.

"Interesting choices, are they not?" she heard Ganondorf say.

"Yes," Niut replied with a bow of her head, "the warriors did very well with this challenge."

"The rancher did a fine enough job, for a Hylian," he remarked wryly. "Even the mare appears to have some strength."

"My lord, I'm not sure it would be wise to offer a mere mare as a gift to a King," Niut ventured.

"Maybe not for a King, but a pretty little white mare would be the perfect gift for a princess. And what better way to win a King's heart than to win over his daughter's?" As the King of Thieves said this, there was an eerie glint in his eye, and his lip twisted in a way that made Niut shudder.

"Although," he continued lowly, "I am told that Princess Zelda isn't won over by gifts. She's wiser than her young age suggests." He spoke about the Princess as if he knew her personally, though Niut knew for certain that the two had never met. It was almost as if Ganondorf had painted a picture of her in his mind. When he spoke of her he tried to brush her off as nothing but a child. However, there was caution in his voice, as if he knew there was more to this princess than met the eye. It was as if she were a character from a fairy tale, or a figure in a prophecy.

"What does my lord think about Aveil's stallion?" Niut interjected. Up until that point they had been facing towards the direction of Castle Town, with Ganondorf's back turned to Niut. Her words broke him out of a daze and slowly he turned to look over his shoulder at her.

"No one needs an unbroken stallion," he said dismissively, ending the stallion's chances of being chosen with a wave of his hand. Turning her gaze to the stallion, which was bucking and whinnying, Niut couldn't help but feel sorry for the steed, and she hoped that it would find a home somewhere. She turned her eyes to the gelding.

"And Nabooru's gelding?" she questioned.

"It's the obvious choice, wouldn't you agree?" he asked, once again facing the horses.

"Yes, my lord."

"It's a fine mount, strong yet sound. It may not appeal to the King's pride like a stallion would, but it would find a place in the King's stable, or even in the battlefield. Though if all the King's horses were like that one, then we would have no problem at all defeating his army. "

Again, his words made Niut's body tremble from head to toe. Why this talk of war so suddenly? Niut paid very little attention to the Gerudo's relationship with Hyrule, for the valley was so far away and so desolate that no one in Hyrule would consider settling there. Yes, the Gerudo were seen as ruthless thieves and warriors, but they never went so far as to kill a Hylian when stepping into their territory. Likewise, the prisoners they captured in the valley were typically harmless Hylians, who would eventually be let go after paying a ransom. Until now, the figureheads of the Gerudo and Hyrule almost never contacted each other. Perhaps the birth of a true King in the tribe had changed more things than Niut had realized.

"My lord," Niut asked quietly, "what exactly is our reason for visiting the King of Hyrule? Has he demanded tribute from us?" There was a deep croak emanating from his throat, his version of a chuckle. There was no humor in it at all, only malice.

"No, we come to the King of Hyrule on our own accord. I have contemplated this for a long time, and I have decided now is the time for the Gerudo and the Hylians to finally join together as allies." Niut wanted desperately to believe what he was saying, but the underlying malice in his intentions was given away by his dark grin and the shadows in his eyes. There was a malevolent reason for their journey to Castle Town, a purpose greater than choosing a second-in-command.

She was afraid to say more, and thankfully she did not need to. The three younger warriors rose from their tent, stretching their arms upwards and deeply inhaling the morning air. They were well rested and full of energy, ready to attack the day. Niut watched as the three warriors knelt before their King, who was approaching them with his hands crossed behind his back. He was about to announce the winner of the contest.

"You all did well with this challenge," he announced, "but there is one steed that stood out against the rest. The gelding will be presented to the King of Hyrule as tribute." Upon the announcement, Nabooru deeply bowed her head.

"I thank you, my lord," she said, restraining herself from crying out in joy. The others bowed their heads as well, so Niut had a difficult time reading their expressions. Were they sad and hopeless? Had they realized that Nabooru was the clear choice for second-in-command? Would they give up? Or were they happy for their fellow warrior and friend?

"Pack up camp and move out. We will reach Castle Town by sun-high," Ganondorf continued as he stepped towards his tent, presumably to pack up his belongings. The warriors, Niut included, worked quickly to disassemble the camp. Ganondorf pulled a Gerudo tapestry from his bag, which was woven with horsehair and decked with fine jewels. He placed this over the gelding's back to make it more presentable to the King. In no time they mounted their steeds and rode off, continuing their path towards Castle Town.


	4. Part Two, Chapter Three

Chapter Three: The Princess of Hyrule

By sun-high, the large wall protecting the town came into view. Two guards flanked the open drawbridge, both welcoming and dismissing visitors. The Gerudo troupe slowed their mounts to a trot and changed their formation. Now Ganondorf was at the head of the party, followed by Niut and Nabooru, then Aveil and Rinna. In front of their party was a cart containing bottles of milk, which a large man with a voluminous mustache was driving. Niut couldn't help but glance at the blue sign the cart bore, advertising Lon Lon Ranch's delicious and nutritious milk. The name sounded oddly familiar.

"My lord," she whispered, leaning closer to him than she had ever been before, "the man in front of us is from the ranch." She needn't say more, for Ganondorf nodded slowly, then his dark grin spread across his lips.

"We'll simply see if we can sell his horses back to him, at an even higher price than they're worth," he remarked before turning to face forward again. Although her stomach still had a sinking, nervous feeling, Ganondorf did not seem to be concerned, so Niut trusted his judgment.

After the cart entered the town, the troupe approached the wooden bridge. Niut brought her gaze to the guard on the right side of the entrance. He was staring straight ahead, his eyes glazed over. She wondered if the guard even registered that a group of five thieves was trying to gain entry into Castle Town.

Holding his head high, Ganondorf led the group through the grand archway. The barrier opened into an immense courtyard, where Hylians of all shapes and sizes wandered from shop to shop, bartered for wares, and sampled delicious foods from the many stalls. Niut tried to keep her head up and not make eye contact with the civilians, but their aghast and frightened looks intrigued her. She had only been in Castle Town one other time in her life, and while she remembered receiving an odd look or two, no one ever stared at her with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. She never heard several women gasp at the sight of her, or see children run to their mothers' skirts. Even the men looked as if they were not at ease.

The group stopped outside of an animal supplies store. Ganondorf relayed the plan—he, Niut, and Nabooru would go to Hyrule Castle and present Nabooru's horse to the King. In the meantime, Aveil and Rinna would sell the other two stolen horses and restock their supplies.

Aveil and Rinna dismounted and pulled their mounts and stolen cargo into the market. The other three remained on their horses and turned towards Hyrule Castle, which stood proud and tall behind the town. Drawing in a deep breath through her nose, Niut lightly nudged Dusty's sides and had her follow Ganondorf towards the castle.

"You nervous, Niut? It's just an old king!" Nabooru teased. Niut forced a smile, but couldn't find any words to respond with. As she aged she had become more and more cautious, but never had she faced a challenge that caused her to feel so much anxiety. Perhaps it was because she knew something was not right.

As they approached the hill leading to the castle, the trio halted before a pair of guards. The taller one stepped forward, gripping his staff tightly.

"State your business!" he commanded. With his twisted grin, Ganondorf reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment.

"I am Ganondorf, King of the Gerudo, and I have an official order to see the King of Hyrule," he responded, his voice booming with confidence. Niut noticed the guard tighten up when he met Ganondorf's gaze. It appeared that the guard didn't even look at the letter for fear of angering the domineering man. He simply bowed his head and stepped away. With a slight nod, the King of Thieves nudged his horse into a canter, leading the group up the hill and towards the castle.

After reaching the top of the hill, they crossed another drawbridge that led them into a courtyard. Niut had never seen a place with so much greenery and light. The courtyard was lush with plant-life, and the bubbling fountain in the middle made the area seem even more alive. The grass looked soft enough to be a bed, the water clear enough to drink straight from the fountain, and the flowers colorful and plump enough to be delicious fruit. Why couldn't all of Hyrule be like this garden?

There was something else in the garden that caught Niut's eye. It was a small figure that was dressed predominantly in white. Niut glanced to her side, where the unknown entity stood. It was a Hylian girl with big blue eyes and a staid expression that made her look more mature than her small stature suggested. She couldn't have been older than nine years old. _Like Miry_, her inner voice pondered. It made Niut realize that she only thought of her daughter one other time during the long journey away from home. This guilt began to gnaw at her heart, making her feel ill. What was the last thing she said to Miry? When was the last time she said she loved her daughter? When was the last time they shared an embrace?

"Well, if it isn't Princess Zelda," Ganondorf's low voice cut in. Niut turned to face her king, who was grinning at the child. There was almost something charming in his smile, but the coldness in his eyes gave away that he had no warm feelings towards the young princess. He seemed to be eyeing her suspiciously, wondering if she would pose a threat to his operation. Princess Zelda bowed her head briefly.

"Good afternoon, Lord Ganondorf," she responded, perfectly restrained. She was unlike any child Niut had met before. Even the Gerudo children feared Ganondorf when he strolled into the training rings or through the fortress halls. This princess had no fear. Instead she raised her head and looked at the King of Thieves straight in the eyes. She was calm and collected. Ganondorf was correct—this girl would not be won over by a pretty mare or sparkling jewels.

"I assume you are here to pay homage to my father. That is a fine steed you've brought," she said, glancing towards the gelding Nabooru was towing. "A thick red mane, taut muscles, a broad back and strong legs. It has a nice, steady gait, perfect for riding. Although it looks much weaker than a genuine, Gerudo trained horse. He is nicely decorated, though." The younger warrior's eyes widened and she glanced at Niut, who kept a stale face. Niut in turn looked at her king, who was staring down at the princess with a gaze so sharp it could cut a person in two. There was a deep frown on his lips and he took a deep steady breath through his nose.

"You know much about horses, for a child," he responded evenly.

"I like to sit in the stables from time to time," she said. She peered to the side, in the direction of the castle's stables. "I could escort your horses there if you would like."

"That won't be necessary," a female voice cut in. Niut looked again towards the main entrance to the castle. A tall, well-muscled woman with short white hair approached the group. Her red eyes were stern and she walked with a strong grace. She stood next to the princess, looking down at her with a hard yet motherly look. "You shouldn't be bothering your father's guests, Princess," she scolded. "Stable hand!" she barked in the direction of the stables. In a matter of moments a flustered teenager came running and bowed towards the princess and the tall woman.

"Y-yes, Miss Impa?" he stammered.

"Take the King's guests' horses to the stables. Make sure they're properly groomed and fed before their masters must leave."

"Y-yes, ma'am!" The Gerudo dismounted and handed the reigns to the stable boy, who looked even smaller compared to the black stallion that towered over him. Nabooru kept a tight grip on the gelding, which would occasionally try to walk away but for the most part stayed perfectly still. She shifted the tapestry to make sure it was perfectly aligned.

A guard approached the group, bowed, and asked them to follow him into the main chamber. Niut glanced to the side one last time before entering the castle. Princess Zelda and Impa stood like statues at the side of the courtyard, but the Gerudo warrior could feel the young princess's eyes watching closely.

"I don't very much like that woman," Nabooru hissed.

"She is a Sheikah," Ganondorf grumbled. "A member of the ancient warrior tribe, sworn to protect the Hylian royal family." Niut felt no concern towards the Sheikah warrior—she was confident that she could take the woman in a fight. It was the princess who worried Niut more. The way her eyes followed the group of Gerudo when they left the courtyard, the way she fearlessly looked Ganondorf in the eye and saw past his lies; Princess Zelda knew that Ganondorf was planning something. He was right in what he said—this princess was wise beyond her years. This both frightened and amazed Niut. How could a mere child see beyond appearances? How could she uncover the truth so easily? How could she look past her own limitations and be more than a small, weak, helpless child?

A pair of trumpets signaled their arrival. Niut raised her eyes from the ground and stared ahead of her. The King of Hyrule's throne was grand, adorned with depictions of the three golden goddesses and the Triforce, the emblem of the Hylian royal family. Decked in red, the King matched the velvet covers on the throne. He appeared aged but not old, the years of ruling a kingdom slowly withering him away. He sat up straight on the throne, staring intently at the Gerudo as they entered his chamber. Niut and Nabooru stayed a few steps behind their King, kneeling before the throne.

"My King," Ganondorf greeted him with a magnificent bow, "I humble myself before you, and I thank you for your correspondence, as well as your hospitality today. It is an honor and a pleasure to finally meet your Highness in person." He kept his head bowed and his weight on one knee. Niut couldn't help but feel caught off guard. She had never seen the King of Thieves kneel before another. In the Gerudo Valley he was the sole king, their God.

"Yes, it is a pleasure to finally meet you as well, Lord Ganondorf," replied the King. He was oddly quiet for a king, while Ganondorf spent little effort in projecting his powerful voice. He nodded his head in the direction of the two Gerudo warriors standing behind their King. "And who are these women you have brought with you?" he asked, almost nervously.

"Two of my finest warriors, here to protect me should I need it. However I see no reason to keep them here, for this is a peaceful meeting. Shall I dismiss them, your majesty?" He spoke eloquently and effortlessly, and was certainly not the dark and brooding king Niut knew him to be. He was a chameleon, able to adapt himself to any situation. He could be a powerful magician, a wise commander, a courageous soldier, a tactful diplomat, or a cunning and manipulative strategist. Niut wondered, who was the real man underneath the armor?

"That would not be necessary. As you said, this is a peaceful meeting," replied the King. With a nod, Ganondorf slowly stood and stepped back to be in the same plane as the warriors. He gestured towards the kidnapped gelding decorated in the Gerudo tapestry. It was bobbing its head and pulling against the reigns. Ganondorf seized the reigns from Nabooru and walked the horse forward, kneeling once again before the Hylian king. He leaned forward from his throne slightly, intrigued by the gift.

"Your majesty, I present to you this humble offering, a gelding bred and trained by the Gerudo. We have decorated it in the finest tapestry that decorates our fortress. I regret that I cannot offer your majesty anything more magnificent, for we are a poor and desolate country. I can assure you, though, our horses are well trained and this one will serve your majesty well." Niut wondered why he was lying about the status of the Gerudo. Contrary to what Ganondorf proclaimed, the Gerudo were actually quite rich, and they hid these riches both in the fortress and in their hideout deep in the desert. The so-called "finest tapestry" upon the horse's back most likely would have served as a tablecloth in an average Gerudo warrior's home.

The King, not knowing any better, seemed immensely impressed. There was a glimmer of a smile on his lips and his hands itched to reach out and touch the horse, to feel its strength and power. He kept himself at bay, however, and simply nodded.

"My deepest gratitude, Lord Ganondorf. It is truly a magnificent steed. Guards, call a stable hand and have him bring this horse to his new home." As one of the guards at the back of the room ran off to find a stable hand, the King turned back to Ganondorf, who was handing the reigns back to Nabooru. He stepped closer to the throne once more and fell to one knee.

While the business with the horse was being taken care of, Niut allowed her eyes to wander about the throne room. She couldn't help but admire the decorations of lustrous and colorful tapestries and the tall windows that illuminated the room. Glancing to her right, she saw a window that provided a view of an enclosed garden. In the bottom corner of the window, she caught a bubble of white. It shifted up a little, revealing a pair of inquisitive blue eyes. Niut's amber eyes met the princess's gaze, never once faltering. The young princess, despite her suspicion, appeared oddly serene, as if she was entering a state of deep thought. If a child so small could be so brave and sure of herself, then perhaps any child could overcome her weaknesses.

Again, the tall-statured figure approached Princess Zelda from behind. The Sheikah showed no shame in being seen in the window. Her red eyes glared back at Niut, like she shared the young princess's suspicion. She placed her arm around Princess Zelda and gently led her away from the window. Even with their backs turned, even when they left the danger, Impa's arm remained around the princess's shoulders, a warm and comforting gesture. She remembered that feeling of security whenever she felt her mother's touch.

_"Niut...this is your daughter. She's beautiful. Don't you want to hold her?"_

_ "Mommy hold me, I'm scared!"_

_ "Miry is having a hard time adjusting. She isn't making friends with any of her classmates."_

_ "Why can't you do anything right, Miry?!"_

_ "She hasn't been making any progress. Don't you train with her after lessons, Niut? Is there something going on?"_

_ "Damn it, Miry, you need to think before you strike!"_

_ "Maybe she isn't cut out to be a warrior…"_

_ "Mother…I'm sorry…I'm trying my best but no matter what I do I…I can't please you. I'm trying so hard and practicing so much… Why do you hate me Mother?" _

_ "Niut only cares about Miry's training."_

_ "Niut's too harsh on Miry."_

_ "Niut never embraces her daughter."_

The voices and memories came so quickly that she felt she might collapse right there on the marble floor. Her throat began to burn and her eyes felt red. Her strong arms trembled, arms that she only used to fight and never to love. Her knees shook under her, threatening to drop her. _"I never loved her enough…"_

"I humbly thank you for your audience, your highness. I'm sure your majesty is expecting many more important guests, so I shall take my leave," Ganondorf said, bending over his knee in a bow. Niut snapped out of her daze and mimicked his gesture, keeping her eyes on the floor.

"May your journey back to the Gerudo Valley be a safe one," said the King as the troupe turned around and exited the throne room. Nabooru's eyes shifted in Niut's direction. The older warrior was staring straight ahead with a gaze that was almost as sharp and cold as Ganondorf's. The small, intricate muscles in Niut's face were hard at work, pushing against the force of emotion. The older warrior was a master at keeping her face rigid and her mind rational. She exuded confidence when she stepped into the battle ring, for she trusted her calculated fighting strategy, and she knew from years of experience what worked and what didn't. What was her greatest strength was also her greatest weakness. She did not allow her emotions and instincts to overtake her. She suppressed them in battle. She had also suppressed them in life.

They met the other two Gerudo warriors in the marketplace. After greeting their king and senior warrior properly, they turned to Nabooru and grinned broadly, showing off the pouch of rupees they collected from selling the horses. The younger warriors went into the shops to purchase supplies while Niut and Ganondorf hid silently in the shadows. They exchanged no words.

When the warriors returned, they packed the supplies on their horses and mounted. As the sun set over Hyrule, they left Castle Town with their mission complete.


	5. Part Two, Chapter Four

Chapter Four: The Return

Darkness fell over Hyrule Field shortly after the party left Castle Town. They stopped along the path, set a fire, and ate a hearty meal to give them strength for the journey home. The warriors were exhausted from their busy day, so they retired to their tents early.

Unable to fall asleep, Niut quietly slipped on her cloak and stepped outside. The grass below her bare feet felt much colder when the sun wasn't beating down upon it. The chilly night air stirred in the folds of her cloak. She brought her gaze towards the large rock they camped near, only to find the outline of Ganondorf sitting where she intended to sit. She took in a sharp breath, unsure if she should return to bed or stay outside.

_"This may be the only chance you have to try," _her inner voice murmured, sounding vaguely like her mother. Taking in a deep breath, she stepped towards the rock.

"My lord? Are you not tired?" she asked, her voice soft and timid.

"I rarely sleep," he responded, his form unmoving.

"That's a rather unhealthy habit, my lord," she remarked, inching a little closer to the rock.

"My body is used to it. By day I would train in my combat skills, then by night I would study my dark magic. I'm certain I would not be the warrior or the magician I am today without those sleepless nights." Niut lightly padded her way to the other end of the rock, now standing at her king's side instead of behind him. His focused, intense gaze stared at the horizon, more specifically in the direction of Hyrule Castle. Although it was far away and out of sight, Niut could easily transplant the memory of its image onto the dark skyline.

"It seems cruel of the Twinrova to put my lord through that," she said, trying hard not to let her real emotions rule what words she said. She truly wanted to say much more awful things about the Twinrova, how they essentially destroyed her family, were completely petty and selfish, and how their practice of dark magic made their hearts even darker with evil. Of course, slandering his adoptive mothers would be an insult to the Gerudo king, so Niut kept her mouth shut.

"Cruel," he finally agreed after a period of thought, "but necessary."

"I wonder what my lord was like as a trainee," she suddenly blurted out. Her yellow eyes widened when she heard what she said. Ganondorf did not respond, he did not even move for a few moments. She held her breath, fearing that she angered him. She considered running away to escape his inevitable anger, but her legs were frozen and trembling.

Finally, a small sound—"Heh."

She felt the cool wave of relief rushing over her body. It was awful that she had to feel this nervous when talking to her own brother. If they had been sisters, they could have had this type of banter all the time. If they had been sisters, perhaps Niut's life could have been happier.

"Does…my lord believe the Twinrova…are his real mothers?" she asked hesitantly. She wondered if so many questions were pushing his patience. Why hadn't he lashed out at her, or threatened her with death for being so insolent? But this was her only chance to learn, to make up for the life they could never have together.

Ganondorf took even longer to answer this question. His nostrils flared as he took in deep, steady breaths of the cool night air. He was sitting with his legs partly spread, his elbows resting on his knees, and his back slightly more hunched over than usual, like he was trying to catch his breath after a fierce battle. It was the first time Niut ever saw him in such a posture, one that did not exude power or regality. For once, he seemed almost human. Perhaps that was the magic of the night, when all other creatures were asleep, that caused a man to be his true self, a self with weaknesses hidden among his strengths.

"Yes," he said. Niut breathed out a quiet sigh. "And…no." Niut blinked, her thoughts momentarily stopped, unsure of how to respond to his cryptic answer. Slowly she sank to her knees, her head humbly bowed, her hand gripping the long rock. She had no need to reply, for Ganondorf continued speaking. "The only way I know those old hags aren't my true mothers is because they told me, long ago, that they are not. I suppose…it prevented me from forming a strong attachment to them. While Koume and Kotake were the best teachers a magician could want, they are the worst choices for mothers."

"It's an awful shame that my lord was brought up that way. One of the most beautiful things I've known in my life is the bond we Gerudo share with our mothers, sisters, and daughters. When I was young, my mother meant everything to me. Whenever she took me in her arms and embraced me, I felt as though nothing else mattered as long as she was there to hold me and protect me. I never felt like I would be alone in this world."

Niut had never spoken this way to anyone before, not since losing her mother. She never even opened up to her aunt, bless her resting soul. Putting words to the images and feelings she had kept to herself for so long made Niut feel small and helpless. Her stomach churned and her breaths felt shallow. Her lip trembled. At this moment, she wanted nothing more than to curl up in a dark place and stay there forever, but she too wanted to release the block that had held her back for so long. Why was he listening? Why didn't he just shut her up right there? She almost wished that her king would silence her before she could say too much.

"And then, suddenly, she was taken from me, and that was when something within me changed. I put my whole being into my training. I became the best warrior I could be. Everyone knew of my suffering and my outward strength. They praised me. They made me their teacher." She wished that were the end. It seemed like a happy, satisfied ending, like the ending of a story. The hero had endured great hardship, but through hard work and determination she became a better person. If only real life were like the stories the Gerudo told around the fire.

"But…my suffering had not made me stronger—it simply hardened my heart into cold stone. It made me unable to feel the joy of motherhood when I held my daughter for the first time. It made me manipulative and calculating. It made me unsympathetic and rigid. It made me this…pathetic…lonely…cold. "

There was another long pause. Niut's heart felt as though it was beating in her throat. Every breath she took trembled. She had no courage to raise her head and bring her eyes to meet his. There was only one other time in her life when she had felt so frightened—the night of their mother's death, the night of his birth.

Staring down at the dark grass below her knees, she was only reminded of the dark green pigment in his skin. She remembered how disturbed she felt the first time she laid eyes on him when he was a child. _"How sickly he looks,"_ she had thought, _"He looks like a monster, a demon." _ She had only seen her brother as a child that one time, and the next time she saw him he had become a fully-grown adult, a King of the Gerudo. From then on, all she could do was worship him from afar. She could never become close to the one other person alive who shared her mother's blood.

"Upon our return to the Fortress, it would be wise to pack your belongings and leave the Gerudo. Leave Hyrule altogether."

Niut's yellow eyes widened as she sharply inhaled her breath. Now her entire body was trembling. In her shock and desperation, she tilted her head upwards, staring up at the Gerudo King from her humbled position. Her mouth hung slightly agape. Hot tears began to well up and cloud her vision. She abruptly performed a deep bow, covering her head with her arms.

"M-my lord, I-I apologize, I've said far too much and spoken too far out of line! Please my lord-"

"I am not banishing you," his powerful voice cut in. His armor shuffled and creaked as he turned to face her and stood. Niut's body did not relax, despite being forgiven for her heinous actions. Slowly, nervously, she lifted her head from the protective nest of her arms. Ganondorf was staring right down at her. Their eyes locked, his stare cold and commanding, her gaze almost forlorn.

"Listen well, Niut. In a year's time, I will set my plan in motion. By this time next year, I will have become something I know that you will not accept. I know who you want me to be—you want me to be like you, a heart that has been abused its entire life and feels that it could never love again after knowing such a feeling. You and I are different in more ways than you could ever understand. So take your daughter and leave this land of Hyrule before it becomes plagued by darkness." He spoke very precisely, each word with the crisp edge of a sharp dagger. Each word abandoned his lips quickly like a wave retreating from the sandy shores it washes upon. His words matched the intensity of his gaze. But then, in a brief moment, something changed in his eyes. They came to mirror those of the woman kneeling before him—lost, alone, desolate. It was as if a thought was crossing his mind, a thought that was supposed to occur only in passing, but instead his mind became fixated upon it. He never once broke eye contact. He spoke again, this time much softer, as if his voice was a raspy husk. "If our mother were still alive, I would also tell her this."

"Our mother," Niut whispered, her eyes widening. "You…" He turned away, his profile facing the horizon. There was a faint glow illuminating his face. The sun was rising. Their time was spent. Almost helplessly, Niut glanced towards the sun, the bringer of heat and destruction and death. She picked up the faint sound of her comrades shuffling in their tent, preparing themselves to wake up and start the day. She scrambled to her feet, her eyes still locked on the Gerudo King. He stared intensely at the horizon, seemingly immune to the heat of the sun. She turned and returned to the camp.

_"You knew."_

* * *

The group rose with the sun, completely rested and ready for the journey home. The only one who lagged behind was Niut, whose eyes threatened to droop closed. She was so exhausted that she almost burned breakfast, but Rinna was able to save it just in time. The roast meat was more smoky than usual, though no one dared to complain.

Once breakfast was over and Ganondorf gave the command to move out, the group travelled throughout the day without making too many stops. Niut wondered if Ganondorf had given enough challenges to the young warriors and was prepared to make his decision. She did not mind the length of travelling—she shared the same eagerness to reach home with the young warriors. She imagined that their king was also dreaming of home, even if it meant returning to the evil women who called themselves his mothers.

Her mind was still swimming from the conversation with Ganondorf. She could not even raise her head to look at him. Who told him of their mother's fate? How long had he known? Why did he choose now to tell her? What was he planning? As much as these questions plagued her, she found no chance to try and confront him again. Her desire to know what was going on in Ganondorf's mind washed away the fears she had before, fierce determination taking over.

When night fell and the group camped, Ganondorf retreated to his tent without having dinner. The women remained seated around the campfire, roasting meat and talking about the return home. Niut was silent and immersed in her thoughts and painful memories. When she slept she dreamed of a life with her mother and brother—a happy, simple life.

This routine continued for the rest of the journey home. Even though they passed numerous opportunities to gain more riches by robbing merchants along the road, Ganondorf ordered them to stay on the road. On the night of their fourth day of travel, he remained by the fire after dinner had been prepared.

"Eat well and rest long tonight," he addressed the three younger warriors. "When we return to the fortress tomorrow, I will have one final test for the three of you to complete." With that said, he retreated to his tent. The three younger warriors glanced at each other, then at Niut.

"Do you know what the test will be, Niut?" Aveil asked.

"I'm not sure," responded the older warrior as she shook her head, "but I assume that it will be a good opportunity to display your skills."

"I wonder why the great Ganondorf has been testing us during this entire mission," Rinna pondered. "I was under the assumption that we were just traveling to Castle Town and back." As she said this she turned her gaze towards Niut, knowing that the older warrior had the answers. Niut simply shrugged her shoulders. Having finished her food, she excused herself from the fire and retired into the tent.

She rolled out her sleeping mat, lied down on her side, and closed her eyes, praying that sleep would take over before her mind could wander towards the subjects that had been plaguing her. No matter how many times she rolled, or how hard she squeezed her eyes shut, she could not fight the desire to see her brother again, to talk to him one last time before she would leave the Gerudo forever. It couldn't end this way.

Hours later, after the three younger warriors went to bed, Niut rose and mustered up the courage to approach Ganondorf's tent. A small, cold breeze flew through the folds of her cloak and chilled her skin. The same breeze made the tent tremble slightly. Not too far away, one of the horses let out a whinny. She inhaled deeply through her nose, trying to flare up her courage once more. She turned her eyes to the horses, hoping that seeing their tranquility would make her calmer. However, she noticed something was amiss—the black stallion was missing.

"My lord?" she called softly as she opened the fold of the tent. "Your horse is…" The tent was empty.


	6. Part Two, Chapter Five

Chapter Five: Leaving Hyrule

When the warriors rose the next morning, they found their king feeding oats to his horse. Relieved from the previous night's panic, Niut performed her usual duty of preparing breakfast while the younger three packed the supplies for the last time. Like he always did, Ganondorf took breakfast in his tent, and once he was finished packing his supplies the younger warriors disassembled his tent. After the packing was completed, the group mounted their horses and galloped away from their final campsite.

They rode for a few hours, and a little before sun-high the border between Hyrule Field and the Gerudo Valley was visible along the horizon. The thundering of the horses' hooves seemed to grow louder and stronger. Niut turned her eyes to the blue sky, knowing that this was going to be one of the last times she would be able to see that bright, beautiful expanse.

Wiping sweat from her brow, Niut snapped the reigns and pushed Dusty to go faster. They were so close to home that she could feel the sand against her skin. She imagined returning to her old life—training sessions with the older warriors-in-training, guard duty, cooking and cleaning, extra lessons with Miry. A heavy sigh passed through her lips as her daughter's face entered her mind's eye. Once Ganondorf chose a second-in-command, they would leave, and it would be just the two of them for a long time. That left plenty of time and opportunities to heal their relationship.

"Please, don't let it be too late," she prayed.

They flew through the valley like their horses had wings. Soon enough, the fortress they called home came into view. There were a few high shouts coming from the guards in front. "The great Ganondorf has returned!" several warriors exclaimed, and like wildfire the news spread through the compound. By the time Ganondorf and his party had reached the entrance to the fortress, every warrior, young and old, was on her knees before him. Even the Twinrova had made a special appearance, kneeling at the head of the small crowd. Seeing them, Ganondorf dismounted and bowed his head to his masters, marking the second time Niut had ever seen her king humble himself before anyone.

"Every warrior and warrior-in-training that is not on guard duty will report to the battle arena at once!" he proclaimed. "There, we will witness the two final candidates for the position of my second-in-command, Nabooru and Aveil, battle for the honor." As the crowd let out a deafening cheer, Niut turned her gaze to the younger warriors. They had been best friends since they were trainees, as close as blood sisters. She saw them glance nervously at each other before dismounting and leading their horses to the stable.

A few of the older warriors came to Niut as she led her mare to the stables. They bowed their heads respectfully to each other, though Niut knew that it was actually more typical to embrace a sister or sister-at-heart when she returned from a journey. Needless to say, since her mother's passing Niut had not put any effort into making friends. Still, they recognized and respected her talent and keen eye, and often came to her for advice.

"Niut, why haven't you been chosen? You're the most experienced warrior out of the group that went on the mission," a warrior named Lora commented.

"I was never in the running for the position," Niut replied flatly. "The great Ganondorf knew that I had trained the candidates, so he wanted my opinion on them as well."

"So…is there a clear winner?" another warrior named Melina asked.

"It's hard to say," Niut answered. "Both Nabooru and Aveil are very talented and capable." She was twisting her own truth—in her mind, Nabooru would come out of the ring victorious. Ganondorf had noticed her leadership and cunning early on, and Niut was more than confident that Nabooru could out-fight her best friend. The question remained: would either warrior's ambition outweigh her love for her sister-at-heart?

"Mother?" she heard a small voice call into the stable. Niut looked past her comrades and saw a tiny figure standing in the doorway. Her heart pounded wildly and heavily in her chest, filling her system with love and anxiety at the same time. She sidled past her fellow warriors and carefully approached her daughter, taking care not to make her pace too fast or too slow. She held out her arms, trying to invite her daughter into an embrace. For a few long moments, they were still. Miry stared back with a confused stare, full of curiosity and skepticism. Niut's chest tightened—would her daughter not accept her first gesture towards healing their severed bond?

"You're…home," Miry said softly, staring straight into her mother's eyes, the first time they made long-lasting eye contact in recent memory. The young girl took a step forward. Niut's heart swelled with hope. Then, to the mother's surprise, something wonderful happened. Miry took a few more steps, each one faster than the other, until they were standing face to face. Arms trembling, Niut took this opportunity to embrace her daughter, praying the entire time that Miry would not change her mind. Even though the young girl did not return the gesture, she did lean her head against her mother's chest. Niut took in a deep breath, breathing in her daughter's scent.

"I've missed you so, Miry," she murmured into her daughter's hair. The entire world seemed to disappear around them, and Niut knew that they would survive together.

"What are you two still doing here?" a deep voice boomed. Gasping, Niut pulled Miry down to her knees and kneeled beside her. Their bows were so deep that their foreheads touched the floor. However, when the heavy boots passed them, Niut dared to glance above and saw that Ganondorf was actually addressing Lora and Melina, who were still in the stable with them.

"You should be in the battle arena by now," he said sternly. The other warriors were bowing deeply as well. When he turned his back to them, they quickly rose and scurried away. The mother and daughter remained kneeling on the floor, their heads humbly lowered. They heard the heavy boots coming towards them again, and then pausing over them. "You may rise," came the voice, softer this time. Niut was the first to obey. Sensing her daughter's fear, she carefully placed a hand on her shoulder and helped her to stand. While Miry could not find the courage to raise her head, Niut looked her brother right in the eye.

"You have done well on this mission, Niut," he said in his usual low grumble. "Now I ask you to answer this: who would you choose?"

"Nabooru, my lord," she answered without hesitation. "I can already see the outcome of this battle, and I know that Nabooru will be victorious. She has proven herself in every task my lord has set for her. She is respected and admired by her comrades for her leadership and skill."

"Heh…Nabooru is the clear choice. Long before planning this mission I knew that she would rise to the position. I've seen how the other warriors trust her and respect her. If it had not been my birthright to rule over them, they would have chosen her." He said this almost bitterly, but with a touch of satisfaction in his voice.

"My lord, forgive me for asking but…if you knew all along that Nabooru was your choice, why would my lord bother with holding the trials?" His lips curled into his dark grin as he turned his gaze towards the stable door.

"A prize isn't worth anything unless the winner feels she has earned it," he responded. "And, perhaps, there was an entirely different reason for such a journey."

"To proclaim loyalty to the King of Hyrule?"

"That also," he answered vaguely. "Yet there is another, even more important reason." His eyes trailed back to her, and again their gazes locked for a few long moments. "Goodbye, Niut," he said, his words carrying much weight. He turned on his heel and paced towards the open stable door. The light coming in created a frame around him so he was only a dark figure. In the distance she could hear faint cheers coming from the battle arena. Niut stared at the billowing cloak that flared from his back. This would be the last time she would ever see her brother.

"What did the great Ganondorf mean by 'goodbye'?" Miry asked in a tiny voice. Niut glanced down at her daughter and placed a comforting arm around her shoulder. There was a pained look in her eyes, and her heart felt as though it would burst into flames. She looked back at the door, seeing only a blinding pool of light.

"We will be going on a long journey, Miry," she responded lowly. "Run home and pack your things. I'll meet you back here."

"Where are we going?" the young girl pressed, her eyes wide and confused.

"Away from here, away from Hyrule, somewhere where Ganondorf's power cannot reach us."

"I don't want to leave, Mother," Miry exclaimed. Calmly, Niut turned and placed both hands on her daughter's shoulders. Slowly she fell to one knee and looked her daughter straight in the eyes. Miry stared back, her yellow eyes filled with fear.

"I need you to trust me, Miry," Niut said, trying to be serene and not let her trembling hands give away how desperately scared she was as well. Her words came out more sternly than she intended. "I will make sure we are safe, and I will make sure we will find a home with plenty of food and comfort. I promise you we will survive. Do you trust me?" Swallowing back her oncoming tears, Miry only nodded, then she turned away and ran home to pack.

In the dead of night, under the light of the moon, Niut and her daughter left the Gerudo. As they crossed the bridge, Niut could have sworn that she saw a dark figure on horseback watching them from a ledge. Once he was sure the warrior and her daughter had crossed the border, he returned to the fortress. Now that they had gone, Ganondorf was ready to set his plan into motion.

The end


End file.
